Fog nebulizing vaporizer



Oct. 20, 1959 P. B. MARASCO 2,909,329

FOG NEBULIZING'VAPORIZER Filed Sept. 6. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 W & af/

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Oct. 20, 1959 P. B. MARASCO {FOG NEBULIZING'VAPORIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1957 FIG. 3.

mmv M m @m M W 2 M United States Patent 2,909,329 1 FOG NEBULIZING VAPORIZER Paul B. Marasco, Grand Junction, Colo. Application September 6, 1951, Serial No. 682,414

1 Claim. 01. 239- 351 This invention relates to humidifiers, and more particularly to an improved vaporizer and humidifier for use in treating colds and similar respiratory infections.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved vaporizer for use in converting a liquid into a mist or fog for the purpose of treating respiratory diseases such as colds, or the like, the vaporizer being simple in construction, being compact in size, and providing' a means of creating a fog or mist which is highly effective in the treatment of many respiratory diseases, such as severe croup in children, common colds, and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved vapon'zer which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, andvwhich is adapted to provide vaporization of a liquid without requiring its temperature to be elevated, for example, to provide a fog or mist which is effective in the treatment of patients suffering from acute respiratory ailments, particularly, where it is undesirable to elevate the temperature of the patient and wherein it is advantageous to employ a relatively low temperature mist or fog which serves to decrease the temperature of the patient and which indirectly serves to decrease the bodily metabolism of said patient, thereby relieving distress to the respiratory and cardiac systems in addition to supplying the required increased moisture content of the surrounding air.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top view of an improved vaporizer constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the vaporizer shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the improved vaporizer is designated generally as 11 and comprises a base 12 formed at one side portion thereof with a generally circular recess 13 adapted to receive the bottom portion of a conventional Mason jar 14 and provided with resilient clamping means 15 engageable with the bottom portion of the jar to yieldably fasten the jar in the recess 13. Thus, the clamping means 15 may comprise a circular plate 16 fitting in the recess 13 and formed at spaced peripheral locations thereon with upstanding spring gripping fingers 17 engageable with the bottom portion of a jar 14 placed on the plate 16.

The jar 14 is provided with a screw cap 18 formed with an upstanding annular wall 19 externally threaded and supporting an annular fitting 20 which is threadedly engaged on the wall 19, as is clearly shown in Figure 3.

Secured centrally in the screw cap 18 is a depending aspirator tube 2.1 which extends a substantial distance downwardly, terminating adjacent the bottom of the jar 14 when the screw cap is mounted on the jar in the man- 2,909,329 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 her illustrated in Figure 3. The tube 21 projects upwardly from the cover 18 and extends above the plane of the rim of wall 19 for a substantial distance, as shown in, Figure 3, terminating in an aspirator tip 22. Mounted in the cover 18'within the annular wall 19 is an overflow tube 23 which projects above the plane of the main wall of cover 18 but which does not extend above the plane of the rim of the upstanding annular wall 19, as is evident from Figure 3.

Mounted in the wall of the fitting 20- is an inwardly directed aspirator nozzle'24 which is inclined inwardly and upwardly, terminating adjacent the end of the tip 22 of the aspirator tube 21.

Diametrically opposite the aspirator nozzle 24, the inside wall of the aspirator fitting 20 is formed with a concave, upwardly directed bafile surface 25, the wall of the fitting 20 being thickened to provide said concave upwardly facing bafile surface, and overlying the adjacent portion of the well defined inside the upstanding annular wall 19 of cover 18. The fitting 20 is formed with a peripheral rib or flange 26, and engaged on the upper portion of the fitting is a discharge cap or fitting 27, said fitting 27 closely engaging on the upper portion of the aspirator fitting 20 and being limited in its engagement by the abutment of its bottom rim with the peripheral rib 26 provided on fitting 20. The discharge member 27 preferably has a substantial frictional engagement with the upper portion of the aspirator fitting 20 so that it can only be removed by exerting substantial manual force thereon.

"The discharge member-27 isformed with the outward- I 1y directed discharge spout 28, allowing a fog o'r mist generated within the aspirator fitting 20 to be dispensed laterally outwardly from the discharge fitting 27, the top end of the discharge fitting 27 being closed by its top wall 29.

Mounted on the base 12 adjacent the recess 13 is a bracket member 30 on which is secured an electric motor 31, the motor shaft 32 being arranged vertically, as shown in Figure 3. Secured on the top end of the motor 31 is a cylindrical air pump housing 33 arranged coaxially with the motor 32 and containing the eccentrically disposed rotor cylinder 34 secured to the shaft 32 of the electric motor and provided with the vertical slots 35 in which are slidably engaged the respective vertical rotor vanes 36 which are urged outwardly by centrifugal force responsive to the rotation of the eccentric rotor body 34 and which slidably engage the inside surface of the cylindrical casing 33. The top wall of casing 33 is formed with an intake aperture 37 and is provided diametrically opposite the aperture 37 with the outlet conduit 38 which is connected to the aspirator nozzle 24, as shown in Figure 3.

Mounted on the base 12 beneath the bracket 30 is the motor control switch 39, connected in one of the line cord conductors 40, 40 associated with the electric motor 31, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 3. The conductors 40, 40 are contained in a conventional line cord 41 terminating in a plug 42 adapted to be engaged in a conventional domestic power supply receptacle.

A cylindrical housing 43 is disposed over the pump housing 33 and motor 31 and is secured in any suitable manner to base 12. A notch 44 is provided in the lower portion of the casing 43, providing access to the control switch 39.

In operation, when the motor is energized, the pump rotor 34 revolves, causing air to be pumped through the discharge conduit 38 into the aspirator nozzle 24, whereby the air is discharged from the aspirator nozzle with considerable velocity, providing an aspirating action which draws liquid upwardly through the tube 21 and discharges the liquid in the space immediately above the force and is atomized responsive to impact with the surface 25, producing a fog or mist in the fitting 20 and in the discharge member 27, said fog or mist being emitted from the discharge fitting 27 through its spout 28. The action of the device thus provides a continuous discharge of vaporized liquid in the form of a relatively low-temperature fog or mist, which is highly desirable in the treatment of various respiratory ailments, such as common colds, croup, or the like. 7

As will be readily understood, the device operates at relatively low temperature and avoids transmission of heat to a patient. Furthermore, the device also avoids hazards from scalding or burning accompanying devices previously employed for vaporizing liquid, and thus operates in a safe and beneficial manner, making it especially suitable for use in the home.

It will be understood that when the eccentrically mounted rotor 34 revolves, the vanes 36 move the air entering the top portion of the pump casing 33 from one side of the casing to the opposite side, forcing the air out of the casing through the discharge conduit 38 and building up substantial pressure in said discharge conduit. The atomized liquid in the conduit fitting 20 is forced upwardly by the building up of pressure in said fitting and is thus forced out through the discharge spout 28. Any unatomized liquid remaining in the aspirator fitting 20 drips downwardly into the well defined by the upstanding annular wall 19 and eventually overflows into the overflow tube 23, thus returning to the interior of the liquid supply receptacle 14.

While a specific embodiment of an improved liquid vaporizer has been disclosed in the foregoing description,

it will be understood that various modifications Within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a vaporizer, a base, an electric air pump mounted on said base, a liquid reservoir mounted on said base and having a horizontal top cover provided centrally with a depending aspirator tube, an upstanding annular wall on said cover surrounding said tube and defining a liquid-retaining well, an upstanding overflow conduit mounted in said cover within said well and extending through the cover to the interior of the reservoir, said tube projecting upwardly from said cover a substantial distance above said annular wall, an aspirator fitting threadedly secured on said annular wall and surrounding the top end of the tube, an inwardly directed aspirator nozzle mounted in said fitting and extending adjacent the top end of said tube, the inside wall of said aspirator fitting being formed opposite said nozzle with a concave, upwardly directed 'baflle surface extending over said liquid-retaining well, whereby liquid which is not atomized by contact with. said baflle surface drops into said well, conduit means connecting said nozzle to bethe outlet of said air pump, and a discharge cup mounted on said aspirator fitting above said concave baflle surface and covering said aspirator fitting, said cap. having a vertical peripheral wall provided with an outwardly directed discharge spout.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,113,985 7 V Hettinger Apr. 12, 1938 2,819,716 Miller Jan. 14, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 679,362 France Ian. 9, 1930 

